Rottweiler Puppy Information & Training

This article will help you learn all the essential Rottweiler puppy information, and training advice. When you finish reading it, you’ll be able to decide whether this breed is right for you and your family, and how to best train your Rottweiler pup.

The Rottweiler breed is not the monster a few people seem to think. Quite to the contrary, they are loving, affectionate and actually somewhat needy. It’s the fear, and the neglect of those needs arising from that fear, that turns a few Rottweiler puppies bad.

I won’t dance around the truth: if you’re not up for the responsibilities of owning a Rottweiler puppy and training them correctly, you shouldn’t buy one.

Rottweiler Puppy Information – The Top Three Facts

I’m going to name all three of these “Fact #1” because they are all equally important.

Fact #1: There is nothing more important with a Rottweiler puppy than doing thorough puppy socialization training. The dog needs to know that humans love them, other dogs are their friends, and other creatures in general are not a threat.

Fact #1: There is nothing more important than obedience training with a Rottweiler puppy. This breed of dog has a high tendency toward dominance, and you need to show that dog that you are a better leader than it is.

Fact #1: There is nothing more important with Rottweiler puppies than careful selection and breeding. A large Rottweiler is not a guaranteed problem, but an aggressive one is. I’ve mentioned in several other articles the strong importance of choosing a reputable, responsible dog breeder, but when it comes to Rottweiler puppies, buying from a careless puppy mill is a recipe for trouble.

Remember – it’s not the dog’s fault if they’re left to their own devices. The responsibilities of the humans begin at birth, so proper breeding, immediate and kind obedience training, and careful socialization are not recommendations – they’re responsibilities.

Breed History – Rottweiler Puppy Information

The Rottweiler breed descends from working mastiffs used in Germany and Rome for herding, and guarding. They were expected to be strong and tough.

Their flexibility, loyalty and intelligence continues to be valued all over the world. They’re famous as police and military dogs, detectives, and also for therapy. Of course, they’re also known as “junkyard dogs” and continue to be used for guarding people and properites.

{module TOP ONLINE DOG TRAINING PROGRAMS REVIEWED|none}

Appearance – Rottweiler Puppy Information

As I said above, there’s nothing wrong with a big Rottie. A healthy Rottweiler is a big, powerful dog, with near-endless stamina.

Full grown, a male Rottweiler will be two feet tall or taller at the shoulders, and weigh between 100 and 135 pounds. The females are only a couple inches shorter, weighing 80 to 100 pounds.

The Rottweiler coat, which does shed, is doubled and thick, is black in color, and glossy with random patches of brown. It’s good to brush your Rottweiler twice a week – it not only reduces shedding, but reinforces the loving bond and socialization patterns.

Looking past the extremely powerful jaws, the head of a Rottweiler is truly handsome, with a friendly expression, and penetrating brown eyes.

There is no official difference in the breed between American and the various European or international Rottweilers.

Social Temperament – Rottweiler Puppy Information and Training

In a perfect world, every Rottweiler puppy would grow up friendly, even-tempered, confident and outgoing. They’re also brave, intelligent and mentally complex, affectionate, and eager to learn.

In the real world, some Rottweilers are bred carelessly, are treated unfairly or avoided out of fear, and can grow up to be quite difficult. It’s essential to be observant when you select a Rottweiler puppy from a litter and then to socialize and train that puppy right from the start.

Your best bet is to research a Rottweiler puppy breeder carefully and spend time with the litter before you buy.

Here are some other notes of critical Rottweiler puppy information:

A Rottweiler puppy will remain a puppy for about two years. That’s going to be a very big puppy, toward the end of that time. Expect high-octane mischief.

I said above that Rottweilers are needy. In fact, the breed bonds very closely with their human pack and is more susceptible to separation anxiety than many other breeds. Separation anxiety is the number one cause of good dogs going bad, so make sure you have room for a family dog.

A Rottweiler puppy with nothing to do for their pack is not a happy dog. Exercise and mental stimulation is key to their long-term and short-term mental health, and their good behavior.

Earn your Rottweiler puppy’s respect through proper obedience training right away. This breed will assume it’s the alpha of the house unless you teach it otherwise. Do this in a kind, forgiving, patient and loving way.

On a related note, a Rottweiler that lacks complete puppy socialization will often grow up to be aggressive toward other animals.

A Rottweiler will always be a guard dog, even more so when it knows its family loves him.

Unique Health Concerns – Rottweiler Puppy Information

Although Rottweilers are sturdy, they’re not invincible. There are a few issues to watch out for and prevent during your Rottweiler puppy’s roughly-eleven-year life span:

Don’t let your Rottie become obese. A Rottweiler needs to eat a lot due to its size, and needs a lot of exercise as a result. Make sure the food is good quality.

The high body mass of a Rottweiler makes them better-suited for cold climates than hot ones. Of course, they do fine in temperate areas.

Rottweiler Puppy Training

I’ll repeat it as often as necessary – you have got to train a Rottweiler puppy immediately, lovingly, firmly, and consistently.

Once you do establish good obedience training habits with your Rottweiler puppy, you’ll be able to communicate smoothly, but you won’t often need to. This is a brainy, loyal dog, bred for learning the expectations and boundaries and sticking to them without question.

Remember that a Rottweiler is a working dog. They need to have a job, and even if your Rottweiler puppy isn’t going to grow up for labor, basic obedience training and falling back on that obedience training on a daily basis will give your Rottie the impression of having a job. The training itself will also consume their energy, build their minds, and strengthen their natural bond with the humans around them.

For these reasons, feel free to train your Rottweiler extensively. Keep the training sessions short, but do them frequently, consistently, and with a high level of energy, fun and excitement. Use positive reinforcement, rewards, love and praise to teach them when they’ve done right, and, as with all dogs, simply withdraw your attention when they do wrong. A sudden loss of social fun is the best punishment for any dog, and this is especially true with Rottweiler puppy training.

Here are the main tips for success in Rottweiler puppy training:

This is true of all breeds of dog, but especially Rotties: Combine crate training and house training right from the start. This combination of early training is so useful in so many ways.

Make sure to wear-out your Rottweiler puppy any time you need to leave the house. Leaving them bored and alone while brimming with energy will often induce separation anxiety and lead to destructive behaviors such as chewing, digging, and crying and barking.

Leash training must begin early and continue for life. Your Rottweiler puppy is going to grow to be two feet tall and weigh around 100 pounds, and could drag you anywhere he wants to go.

The two-year puppy stage I mentioned above means that you will spend at least two years training your Rottweiler to maturity. Be a kind, patient and loving leader, and keep in mind that the whole time, your dog will be learning to respect and obey you.

Very well-socialized Rottweilers must be trained against jumping up on people. To your Rottie, it’s just a show of affection – to the target being jumped upon, it’s a danger.

Be sure your Rottweiler is never allowed to forget or disobey the “come” command. You should also take the time to instill the “heel” command and constantly reinforce this as well.

One more time: If you’re not prepared for obedience training, socialization, and patience with a rambunctious, high-energy, 100-pound dog, as a part of your daily life, and the life of your family, don’t buy a Rottweiler. Otherwise, if you are – you’re going to love your Rottweiler puppy.

A few training resources of particular importance to Rottweiler owners:

DogProblems.com will help you prevent or correct any behavior problems.

“Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer,” by the same author as DogProblems.com.

Clicker Training is good, because using treats every time your Rottweiler puppy “gets it right” during training can become a health risk.

Training a Rottweiler puppy is extremely rewarding, but now you know all the facts. Think it over thoroughly, and once your dog grows up to be a wonderful member of the family and community, congratulate yourself for a job well done!